San Francisco’s Fallen Streetcar: Wreck in Motion

Brace for impact with this silent footage of a San Francisco streetcar wreck from the early 1900s, where a car lies flipped on its side in a tangle of twisted steel and splintered wood. The camera pans across the chaotic scene—likely along Market Street or a busy carbarn route—capturing the aftermath of a collision or derailment, with crowds gawking and debris strewn across the tracks. Filmed in stark black-and-white, this reel might hint at labor strife, a runaway car, or mechanical mishap from the city’s bustling streetcar era, when United Railroads or Muni cars ruled the rails. A raw relic for history buffs, transit enthusiasts, and San Francisco heritage fans, it’s a fleeting glimpse of urban peril frozen in time.